Friends forging a course together through the unexpected

This past weekend Matt and I packed up my Escape, for our second get-away to the northwoods of Wisconsin. Our agenda was quite simple: a little work and have a lot of fun.

Work consisted of mowing the lawn, finish staining a lower portion of a new kitchen cabinet and cleaning. The fun part included exploring a new brew pub, going to our favorite breakfast place and visiting a well known Wisconsin brewery.

The new place we’re happy to add to our favorites list is Aqualand Ale House in Boulder Junction. The brew pub boasts their own four specialty beers as well as a nice mix of craft beer from the Midwest. Matt and I both ordered flights and a few appetizers. Their homebrews and food were delicious. My favorite brew was a cream ale, which we ended up getting a grumbler of to take home. We had a great time talking to the bartenders and are already planning to visit them again in a few weeks.

Flight sampler at Aqualand

If we’re only up for a few days or a week, we always make sure to enjoy a breakfast at Cafe Holiday located in Hazlehurst. My parents discovered this gem a few years ago and it has become a family staple. Matt always orders a full biscuits and gravy breakfast meal served with two eggs. And for me, it’s the stuffed cranberry-apple french toast with a side of hashbrowns extra crispy. My mouth is already watering from writing about it.

Our last favorite stop took place on the drive home. Often we’ll stop in on the way up or down in the little Swiss town of New Glarus, Wisconsin, home to New Glarus Brewery. Once we arrived at the brewery, Matt literally jumped out and headed straight for the beer depot to see if any of the recent brown sours were still available. Luck was on his side because they were! With our haul secured we ventured out to enjoy a Belgian Red straight from the tap on the patio with Porter. Best rest stop ever.

Porter hanging out on the patio at New Glarus Brewery

We’ll be back up north in another few weeks for much of the same. A little work and a lot of fun. I think that’s going to be my new motto for the summer.

On Saturday Matt and I headed west to Geneva for a night out and to meet up with my cousin. We started off our evening at Stockholm’s brewery located right in downtown Geneva. We had no trouble finding street parking nearby the restaurant. Once we arrived at Stockholm’s we were immediately greeted and asked where we wanted to sit. Matt and I both agreed to enjoy our meal out on the back patio.

Our meal started off with the scallop appetizer and a beer sampler. The appetizer was great, a hint of lemon, light greens and deliciously cooked scallops. The beer did not live up to the same standards sadly. For our main meals Matt ordered a beef tenderloin salad piled high with blue cheese, blackberries, raspberries and blueberries. He was in heaven. I ordered the shrimp taco platter. My plate was filled edge to edge with rice, sour cream, pico de gallo salsa, lettuce, sliced avocado and of course three shrimp tacos. All in all our dinner was great but we wouldn’t go back for the beer. As soon as we finished our meal we met up with my cousin and headed out for our next stop.

We got back in the car and headed north to Saint Charles. Our destinations was the House Pub located right behind the Arcadia Theatre. My cousin warned us that their beer selection was massive and hand-written on a huge chalkboard wall behind in the bar. And she was not kidding. All of us spent about 5 minutes going through the menu trying to decide what we wanted. With our orders of good beer in hand, we grabbed a table and settled in for the evening. Just after the Hawk’s game ended a live jazz band started playing. They had a fun funky sound but it was very loud. A little after 10:30 we all called it quits because we were losing our voices trying to talk over the music.

All in all a nice little visit out to the western suburbs. We both really enjoyed Geneva and St. Charles so I foresee a few more outings this summer. If anyone has any other recommendations let me know!

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This weekend my husband participated in his second Tough Mudder in Richmond, Illinois. Last year there were just three of them but somehow this year they convinced another two guys to join their team. We drove up at 8 a.m. to the border of Wisconsin to meet up with the rest of the team.

A week before, the ladies chatted and divided up items to bring. I’ve learned to wear layers. It’s early spring and the morning starts off cool but can heat up quickly by the afternoon. Plus, as repeat spectators, we’ve learned to pack just a few items for ourselves and our husbands.

Recommended Spectator List

Snacks – granola bars, pretzels, apples, carrots

Water

Sunscreen

Hiking or sturdy gym shoes (do not wear flip flops!)

Rainjacket – wear layers!

Hat

First aid kit

A small backpack to carry everything

Recommended Participant List

Extra set of clothes

Extra pair of shoes

Large trash bags

Towels

Mudder headband(s)

Wear a form fitting shirt

ID

The guys completed all of the obstacles and about a dozen miles together in about four hours. It was fun to cheer them on and the other participants. I give major props for anyone who participates in a Tough Mudder. I don’t think I’ll ever give it a go, I’ll stick with a 5K or two and call it a day!

I want to tell you guys about a service that I tried out called Rent the Runway. I’m not being paid to write about them. I was just so pleased about my experience I had to share! I heard some chatter about it so I thought I’d check it out. I started out by looking at their website. Here is how they describe themselves:

Rent the Runway is a fashion company with a technology soul. Powered by a transformative business model, proprietary technology, a unique reverse-logistics operation and some of the smartest people on earth, we’re in a position to challenge old systems and rewrite new rules. By giving people access to remarkable luxury experiences, we’re changing the meaning of ownership — and revolutionizing retail in the process.

Here is why it was a no brainer for me:

Since I’m not paying full price to keep the dress, I can look at options that normally wouldn’t be an option for me

I won’t be guilted into wearing a dress to multiple events in order to justify the purchase

I can rent two sizes at a time (for no extra cost) so I won’t need to be worried about not trying it on ahead of time

Vitual process is less exhausting than physically searching through racks and racks of dresses

Can plan ahead or find something last minute

Rather than just telling you why I think it’s a smart move, I thought I’d also share my experience with you. I went on their website and created an account. This allowed me to create a ‘shortlist’ (think similar to a Pinterest board) for different occasions. I was searching for a dress to wear to my friend’s rehearsal dinner so I named it ‘HP Rehearsal.’ You enter in the date of the event and then can search by size, occasion, price, length, color, trend, body type, sleeve, neckline, age, style, and or designer. I love being able to narrow the search so much. I started my search by date to be sure not to fall in love with a dress that wasn’t available when I needed it. I took my time ‘hearting’ dresses for a few weeks before choosing one. Once I finally made a decision, I was able to choose 2 sizes (for no extra charge) and place the order. I signed up for the PRO Account which pays for itself if you rent twice in one year. It costs $29.95 and covers shipping and insurance on all orders for one year. It also provides a free rental on your birthday. I placed my order and waited for the special day to arrive!

I had arranged for the dress to arrive a day before my event. It actually ended up being delivered on the day of the event. This made me a little nervous which prompted me to call their customer service team and request an extra day of rental and it was granted to me! When I opened the box I was pleasantly surprised to see a free sample of Aveeno lotion along with the garment bag. I wasn’t sure what the packaging would entail and thought the bag was a fancy touch! The first one I tried on fit like a glove and I was very relieved my plan worked out because I was not excited about my backup dress. Even if it didn’t fit, Rent The Runway has a ‘Fit Guarantee’ where if neither of the dresses sent fit they will try to send you an alternative in time for the event or give you a credit. I really don’t see how you can lose here?!

I wore the dress to the rehearsal and since I had earned an extra day with the dress, I ended up wearing it on Easter Sunday too. Monday I placed the two dresses (no garment bag or hangers) into the pre-labeled UPS envelope provided and threw it in a UPS drop-off bin. The whole process from ordering to returning was incredibly easy and I will be doing it again this year. In fact I booked a trip to Vegas for my birthday and I think that would be the perfect occasion to rent for.

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Throughout the year, our beer friends will get together about 3-5 times to try a wide variety of beers. This past Saturday we had the privilege to host a tasting. Even with the weather not cooperating, we were still able to grill, drink a wide variety of beer and enjoy excellent company.

Here’s how our tastings work. Usually a few days before we make a note of who is bringing what to eliminate any duplicates. On the day of, everyone breaks out their bottles and we create a line-up. Starting with the lighter beers and ending either with the “whales” or pallet crushers. At this past tasting here was our line-up:

Devoir Saison from Penrose

A cider called Mitten from Virtue

Maria’s Tears from Marz Community

La Beire Fantaisie from Side Project

Cuve Diable from 4 Hands

Black Angel Cherry Sour from Wicked Weed

Goose Island Grimm Vicar

2014 Bourbon County Barleywine

Madagascar from 4 Hands

Downfall from 4 Hands

Black Ops from Brooklyn Brewery

Fyodor’s Classic from Stone

2014 Bourbon County Stout Proprietor’s from Goose Island

Elevated IPA from La Cumbre

Imperial Red from Marble

Serenity from Wicked Weed

Big Hugs Imperial Coffee Stout from Half Acre

Pancho Verde Chile Cerveza from Rio Grande

There’s nothing better than trying samples of beer with your friends. It’s a great opportunity to sample a few rarer beers and to try out different styles. For this tasting we had a few sours but mostly stouts and barleywines. I will say, I did try everything, even if it was just a sip. This allowed me to confirm that I do not like sours but I do like stouts and a few barleywines. And since we do such small pours, sometimes you get lucky and can get a second round of your favorite.

From this tasting my top three favorites were the Bourbon County Stout Proprietors from Gooseland followed by the Mitten cider from Virtue and then Downfall by 4 Hands. They are all delicious. Now I just have to wait for the next tasting!

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Yesterday I was in a rare mood of procrastination. I did not want to write my blog post because I felt I had nothing to write about. There are a few projects I’d like to start but I’m holding off because of our house hunt. Thus my inspiration was running low. So instead of writing I baked. My procrastination got filled up with butter, flour and sugar and a little lemon.

One of Matt’s favorite desserts are lemon bars. Over the last few year’s I’ve modified a recipe from Betty Crocker to become a family favorite.

What you’ll need:

Oven heated to 350 degrees

1 8 or 9-inch square pan

1 cup flour

1/2 cup butter at room temperature

1/4 powder sugar

1 cup granulated sugar

All of the peel from a large lemon

3 tablespoons of lemon juice

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

2 large eggs

an additional 2-3 tablespoons powder sugar

To start you’ll mix the flour, butter and powder sugar together. I start with adding the flour and powder sugar together and the cut the butter into smaller pieces. I use my hands to make sure the butter is mixed in well and not left in chunks. Pour the mixture into the square pan and press down firmly all around. Pop it in the oven for about 20 minutes or until the crust starts to brown at the edges. When you take it out, there might be a few cracks but don’t worry, they’ll be covered up in the next part!

While the crust is baking, whip out your Kitchen Aid stand mixer or hand-held mixer. Beat the granulated sugar, lemon peel, lemon juice, baking powder, salt and eggs on high speed for about 3-5 minutes. The mixture will turn a lighter yellow and appear fluffy. Pour the liquid mixture on top of the hot crust. Bake for another 25-30 minutes until the liquid mixture has solidified.

Homemade lemon bars

Cool for at least one hour and dust with your extra 2-3 tablespoons of powder sugar. Enjoy and here’s to procrastination that tastes good!

I usually write about projects I’ve done, recipes I’ve tried, or a goal I’ve accomplished, but today is about a party someone else planned. All I did was attend and enjoy. I was so impressed I just had to share it with you!

All the perfect elements for a Harry Potter themed party:

Sorting Hat and House Banners

Floating Candles, Owlrey, and Butterbeer!

Toilet Décor

Quiddich Beer Pong complete with a Golden Snitch

Last but not least good friends with awesome costumes!

Two weekends ago I attended a 30th birthday party for two of my good friends. Their husbands planned the whole thing complete with personalized Hogwarts letter and a train ticket serving as the invitations. No detail was spared in all their planning. Everywhere you turned there was another detail! I couldn’t even capture everything. I missed the train track tape leading from their house to the garage with a note that I had arrived at Platform 9 and ¾. There was a closet labeled ‘The Chamber of Secrets’ and when opened had a spider hanging from the ceiling. The ‘Room of Requirement was where everyone kept their coats. There were also huge posters of the characters scattered on the walls. I was so impressed with it all. If you ever plan a Harry Potter themed party, I hope you are able to use some of these ideas and Jeremy & Brandon thanks again for accepting us into Hogwarts!